Almost three months to the day of his Premier League debut against Ipswich Town, Ruben Amorim is preparing for a second crack at Kieran McKenna in the Manchester United hot seat.
Following that one-all draw at Portman Road, the former Sporting chief has endured somewhat of a traumatic transition into English football, overseeing nine defeats in 22 outings.
With his side occupying 15th place in the table, three positions and 13 points above McKenna’s men, the Old Trafford faithful are crying out for a competent showing.
A spirited Goodison Park comeback earned a point at Merseyside, although many questions surfaced regarding the nature of the performance for 70 minutes.
Bruno Fernandes rose to the occasion with a magnificent showing at the weekend, with encouraging signs from Joshua Zirkzee, Manuel Ugarte and new-signing Patrick Dorgu.
Despite all, this underperforming unit still holds a say in the FA Cup and the Europa League. As we all know, football is a funny game, and a couple of promising performances could transform fortunes and lead towards a memorable ending to a painful campaign.
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Having endured an injury-ravaged period, Amroim welcomed Ugarte and Leny Yoro back after one-game absences against Everton.
Danish veteran Christian Eriksen also returned following a battle with illness, although he remained an unused substitute in Merseyside.
However, long-term absentees Luke Shaw and Mason Mount remain sidelined, while Kobbie Mainoo and Amad continue their rehabilitation periods following disheartening setbacks.
Toby Collyer has impressed with a catalogue of standout performances but is not yet ready for a return to first-team action.
“I think it’s the same,” Amorim told media ahead of Wednesday evening’s Old Trafford fixture.
“Nobody is… they are improving, but nobody is recovering for this game.”
Promisingly, United are unbeaten in the last seven home league fixtures against Ipswich. Furthermore, the Reds have coasted over the previous three by an aggregate scoreline of 15-0.
Although goals have been hard to come by for Amorims’s men, Ipswich haven’t kept a clean sheet against a Manchester United outfit at Old Trafford since 1993.
Interestingly, the Tractor Boys last earned three points at M16 in May 1984 in a come-from-behind 2-1 win against Ron Atkinson’s men. This was the last time United lost a home league encounter when leading at half-time.
The Reds have racked up an incredible 355 wins and 33 draws since that frustrating day for Big Ron.
How do you see the latest chapter of this domestic story playing out? Let us know in the comments or across our social channels.
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